Bag frame



{I} a. 35, R35,

w. c. HIERING BAG FRAME Filed July 25, 1954 Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAG FRAME poration of Delaware Application July 25, 1934, Serial No. 736,815

3 Claims.

This invention relates to handbag frames and more particularly to improvements in fastening devices for use on such frames.

Heretofore, it has been the custom to fasten frame members of a handbag together by means of latches or similar devices, usually mounted at the center of the frame members. However, regardless of the point of mounting of the latches, the frame members were not fastened throughout their length. Such latching devices as have been heretofore used were more or less expensive and complicated, and in many instances after a short period of use, would cease to function properly to effectively fasten frame members together. In accordance with my invention, handbags are closed by means of a slidable fastener, which has been commonly used for fastening purposes on other articles. Such slidable fasteners comprise a pair of stringers having interlocking elements at their adjacent edges, which elements are caused to interlock or separate by moving a slider along the stringers. When the stringers are attached to a flexible bag, due to the flexibility of the support for the stringer it is often inconvenient to operate the slide fastener as the stringers will bend and prevent free movement of the slider. In order to overcome this objection in handbags, I propose to attach the stringers to a rigid metal frame to which the handbag covering material is also attached. Such a rigid support for the stringers enables free and easy operation of the slide fastener at all times.

It is an object of this invention to provide a hand bag frame, preferably of the channel type,

which has attached thereto a rigid auxiliary frame for supporting stringers of a slide fastener.

A further object is the provision of a rigid frame to which stringers of a slide fastening device can be attached, said frame being adapted to be mounted upon the main frame of a handbag.

These and other advantageous objects, which will later appear, are accomplished by the simple and practical construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and exhibited in the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a handbag embodying my invention,

50 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an auxiliary frame forming a part of the invention,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing details of the invention,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing details of 55 the invention, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of parts of the frame members embodying details of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a handbag frame comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped outwardly opening channeled main 5 frame members 5 and 6, which have their free ends hingedly connected by the pins I. Said frame members have a bottom wall 8, inner side walls 9 and outer side walls In. Fixed to the inner surface of the inner wall of each frame member, 10 at the center thereof, is a small plate I I which is bent outwardly at the center thereof to provide a passage i2 to receive a tab I3 which has, at the bottom thereof, small projections M which pass through apertures in the bottom wall 8 of the 15 frame members, after which said projections l4 are bent over the bottom wall to securely hold the tabs to the frame member.

The tab i3 is integral with an auxiliary frame it which is substantially in the shape of an in- 20 wardly opening bead, which holds the fabric stringer iii of a slide fastening device.

Attached to the free edges of the stringer are interlocking members I? which are either caused to interlock or to separate by movement of 8.25 slider i8.

The auxiliary frame 55 has substantially the same outline as the main frame members 5 and 6 and the two auxiliary frames iii are hingedly connected at their free ends, also by pins 1. 30

In order to enable the bag to be fully opened without hindrance from the slide fastening device, the stringers i5 and interlocking members I I are extended slightly beyond one end of the main and auxiliary frame members as indicated at i9. 35

In assembling the device, bag covering material iil is positioned in the channelled main frame members and 6 as shown in Fig. 3, after which the tabs iii are fixed securely to the bottom walls 3 and the side walls 9 and ii] are pressed toward each other to securely clamp the bag covering material in the frame member.

The auxiliary frame members are provided with depending tabs 2i which extend into the channelled frame members and abut the bag covering material and the innerside walls thereof, to prevent movement of the auxiliary frame members and to provide a more rigid structure.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have provided an auxiliary frame for holding slide fastening devices, which frame can be conveniently and readily attached to U-shaped channelled main frame members or other shapes of handbag frame members without material alteration.

This auxiliary frame can be furnished independently of the usual main frame members, or, if desired, can be supplied to bag manufacturers already attached to a standard type of main frame member.

The auxiliary frame member on a completely assembled bag also serves as an ornament, the rounded bead serving to completely conceal bag covering material at the point of passing over the outer channel wall [8, and the bead also protects; the bag covering material at this point from wear and being cut by the upper edge of the wall ID.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only and not as restrictive or limitative of the invention, of which obviously an embodiment may be constructed including many modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as denoted in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: v

1. In a handbag, a pair of outwardly opening channelled main frame members of substantially U-shape, each of said frame members having a bottom wall and inner and outer walls, an auxiliary frame member for each of said main frame members, said auxiliary frame member having a depending tab abutting the inner wall of the frame member and provided with projections passing through apertures in the bottom wall of the frame member, bag covering material passing over the outer side wall and clamped between the side walls of the main frame member, said auxiliary frame member extending over said bag covering material and the outer side wall, and slide fastening devices attached to said auxiliary frame members.

2. In a handbag, a pair of substantially U-' shaped outwardly opening channelled main frame members, each of said frame members having a plate attached to its inner wall and bent at the center thereof to provide a passage between said plate and the inner wall, an auxiliary frame member having a tab passing between said inner side wall and plate and attached to the bottom wall of the main frame member, and slide fastening devices attached to said auxiliary frame member.

3. In a hand bag, a pair of outwardly opening channelled main frame members of substantially U-shape, each of said frame members having a 20 bottom wall and inner and outer walls, an auxiliary frame member for each of said main frame members, said auxiliary member having a portion abutting the inner wall of the frame member and secured to the bottom wall, bag covering 25 material passing over the outer side wall and clamped between the side walls of the main frame member, said auxiliary member extending over said bag covering material and. the outer side wall, and slide fastening devices attached to said 39 auxiliary frame members.

' WILLIAM C. HIERING. 

